Morena confident Sundowns can retain CAF Champions League title

Mamelodi Sundowns believe they have the resilience and experience to win the CAF Champions League for a second successive season, although coach Miguel Cardoso insists their immediate priority is Friday’s decisive meeting with Wiliete.

Sundowns ended a 10-year wait for the continental title last season, but their success was the result of a sustained challenge rather than a one-off achievement. They reached the semi-finals three seasons ago and the final two seasons ago before finally lifting the trophy.

The holders now face the added pressure that comes with being the team to beat. Established contenders and first-time participants will be determined to knock them out, but senior defender Thapelo Morena says Sundowns are ready to accept that responsibility.

Morena compared the challenge to the club’s domestic dominance, during which they won a record-extending eight successive league titles before Orlando Pirates took the crown last season.

“As a team, it’s something that we are taking responsibility for,” said Morena of their aspirations to win consecutive continental titles. “We believe in it. We can do it. We are willing to do it because we’ve done it here at home in the PSL. Now, we know the responsibility that comes after winning.

“We know that teams will come at us, regardless of who we face. When we play at home, we’ll give everything. That’s the most important thing on the pitch.”

Cardoso, however, has warned his players against looking beyond the next fixture. Retaining the trophy remains the club’s ultimate ambition, but he wants Sundowns focused solely on Wiliete at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night, with kick-off at 8pm.

The match is a must-win for the South African side if they are to reach the Champions League group stage. The first leg in Angola last week ended 0-0, leaving the tie finely balanced.

“Even the question of what the continent expects is not important to us,” Cardoso said. “It’s about what the team wants: taking the pressure off ourselves and putting it on others. We only worry about ourselves. We are focusing on Wiliete, and there’s nothing more important on the horizon than them. Absolutely nothing.

“That’s the mistake that losers sometimes make – looking too far ahead and failing to give importance to what’s right in front of them. We don’t suffer from mindsets that can weaken us.”

A second consecutive title would also have particular significance for Morena. He missed out on a winners’ medal in 2016 after he was not registered for the tournament following his mid-August transfer from Bloemfontein Celtic.

Sundowns’ players addressed the media alongside Cardoso before the second leg, with Morena emphasising their belief that they can handle the demands of defending their continental crown.